Do not be scared
The first thing that you have to remember about a virus is that even though the name sounds scary it is still just a normal computer program. It has the same one and zeros that the other programs on your computer have. The only difference between it and the others is that it is trying to damage your computer experience in some way. So when you are trying to fix this problem you have to start by having a cool head. Getting excited will make you miss obvious steps to get rid of the problem.

Running an antivirus program
The first thing that you want to try and do is to run an antivirus program on the machine. If you do not have one installed then now is the time to do so. It is a very bad idea to surf the web without an antivirus being active in the first place so make sure that you get one put on now. After it is downloaded, try to install it. If the software is able to install, run a full scan on your computer and see what pops up. We said try to install it because some viruses are so smart that they will stop the antivirus program from being installed on the computer. A virus like this is one of the worse ones that you can come across. If this is the case with you then we will have to go to the next step.

Now we get a little complicated
The next step is a little technical but you should be able to handle it. This next step involves downloading a live Linux boot disk and using it to scan the virus out of your computer. A live Linux CD is a disk with an operating system that doesn’t have to be installed on it. You just slide the disk in the CD player on your computer and it will run as soon as your computer boots up. Make sure that you read the instructions on the web site that you found the boot disk on so you will know how to run the scanner. A good live CD to try this with is Knoppix. Give these steps a try and if they still seem a little complicated now may be the time that you ask for help.

We have given you a few steps that you can take when it comes to securing your computer after a virus has attacked it. Try these first before you go to a professional and ask help.

START-UP FOLDER – This is the most logical place! Windows opens every item in the Start Menu’s Start Up folder. This folder is prominent in the Programs folder of the Start Menu. Notice that I did not say that Windows “runs” every program that is represented in the Start Up folder. I said it “opens every item.” There’s an important difference.

Programs represented in the Start Up folder will run. But you can have shortcuts in the Start Up folder that represents documents, not programs.

For example, if you put a Microsoft Word document in the Start Up folder, Word will run and automatically open that document at during system initialization; if you put a WAV file there, your audio software will play the music at initialization, and if you put a Web-page Favorites there, Internet Explorer (or your own choice of a browser) will run and open that Web page for you when the computer starts up. (The examples cited here could just as easily be shortcuts to a WAV file or a Word document, and so on.)

REGISTRY. Windows executes all instructions in the “Run” section of the Windows Registry. Items in the “Run” section (and in other parts of the Registry listed below) can be programs or files that programs open (documents), as explained in No. 1 above. Windows executes all instructions in the “RunServices” section of the Registry.

BATCH FILE. Windows executes all instructions in the Winstart batch file, located in the Windows folder. (This file is unknown to nearly all Windows users and most Windows experts, and might not exist on your system. You can easily create it, however. Note that some versions of Windows call the Windows folder the “WinNT” folder.) The full filename is WINSTART.BAT.

INITIALIZATION FILE. Windows executes instructions in the “RUN=” line in the WIN.INI file, located in the Windows (or WinNT) folder.

As with Win.ini, file names might be preceded by considerable space on such a line, to reduce the chance that they will be seen. Normally, the full path of the file will be included in this entry. If not, check the \Windows directory

Windows has a lot of phases at the start of level but if you know what you are doing, you can catch weird files that will save you downtime.

Also, you might lose money or even become subject to identity theft if you do not protect your sensitive information. Unfortunately, the identity theft crime is more and more present and usually the identity thieves try to benefit financially from their deed.

There are many ways you can choose to protect your computer. Using strong passwords and changing them regularly is one of the. Also, you should avoid using peer to peer transfer programs and opening mails that look dubious. However, all of these actions are not enough for fully protecting your computer against the threats. You should definitely use computer security software too.

There are a lot of programs you can use and many of them can be really great for protecting your computer. However, as there are so many it can be really hard to choose between them. As the Internet becomes more and more important to us, you should know that it comes with its threats.

Using a firewall, an antivirus program or an anti spyware is necessary these days and not optional. If in the past these programs were useful but they did not protect you in the true meaning of the word, we can really say that they protect both you and your computer these days.

If you want to protect your home computer or your work one, all you need to understand that you can’t do anything without using the proper programs. This is because you need to make sure that the security breaches you might leave are well taken care of by the software you use for computer security.

The sophisticated software that exists on the market today in the computer security domain can be great for a large company but too expensive for a home computer. Therefore, you should assess your needs and see what type of computer security software you want. The classic firewall and antivirus program can be great for personal use.

You should inform yourself in the domain of computer security and make sure you stay one step head cyber criminals. If you will manage to be prepared when they attack, your information will be safe. Identity theft and information loss are only two of the threats you expose yourself.

In summary, there is computer security software that can be used by major companies, small companies and individuals. This depends on your need for security and the budget you want to allot to this activity. You should evaluate your needs and make sure you allot a serious budget for protecting your data because otherwise you will surely suffer greater losses if you do not.

The right antivirus software

Of course, the first thing that you are going to want to do is install the right antivirus software. When you surf the web, one of the man things that you have to worry about is the bad guys being able to install something nasty on your system. With quality antivirus software installed on your computer, you will not have to worry about that threat. As long as you keep the system updated, most threats that you will run across on the internet will be neutralized. There are several antivirus software vendors that you can choose from. Microsoft even offers a version of their own antivirus software that you can use on your system. Their software is free and it is highly recommended in the security community. So now once you have the antivirus installed, it’s off to the next step.

Make sure that your network is secure

The next thing that we want to do is to make sure that our network is secure. We do this by installing a firewall on our system. A firewall is a piece of software that will block traffic from coming into unauthorized ports. There are two versions of firewalls that you can use a hardware firewall and a software firewall. A hardware firewall is one that is installed in the router that you have at your home. If you have a wireless network at your house then you most likely have a router with a firewall installed on it. Make sure that it is turned on. Also you can install a firewall right in your system. There are plenty of third parties that offer firewall software but there is also one already installed into Windows 7.

Time to get rid of the spyware

Now that you have the firewall and antivirus installed, it is now time to worry about the spyware that might try to enter your system. Even though some antivirus software will stop spyware as well it is better to get a dedicated piece of software to do the job. There are many places where you can get anti-spyware software and again Microsoft has their own version of this as well. We suggest that you go with a third party since the reviews of this software from Microsoft is not as high as their other security products.

As you can see, it takes a little bit of work to make sure that Windows 7 is secure from day one. But once you accomplish it, you will feel a lot better surfing the internet.

You can also continue reduce the possibility of infection and improve your PC’s security by following a few best practices, maintaining a current antivirus software package, keeping your system updated, and using a firewall. It is also important to back your critical files up on a regular basis prior to encountering a virus or other problems.

There are steps you can take to help avoid viruses which include:

• Use an Internet firewall.
• Subscribe to antivirus software and keep it current and do not open an email attachment from a person you don’t know.

Do not open an email attachment from someone you know, until you are sure you know exactly what the attachment is. The sender may not know that it contains a virus.

• Do not use an administrator account unless it is necessary. Instead use a standard user account.

Steps to prevent spyware include:

• Use an Internet firewall. Although unwanted software, including spyware, can come bundled with another program or can come from an unscrupulous website, some spyware can be generated and placed on your computer remotely by unscrupulous hackers.
• Keep your software updated. Use a software package that you’ve downloaded and installed all the latest critical and security updates.
• Adjust Internet Explorer security settings. Adjust the security settings on your browser to determine how little or how much information you want to accept from a website.
• Download and install antispyware protection.
• Surf and download more safely. The best defense against all unwanted software including spyware is to not download it in to begin with. Here are a few helpful tips that can protect you from downloading software you don’t want:
• Only download programs from websites you trust. If you’re not sure whether to trust a program you are considering downloading, enter the name of the program into your favorite search engine to see if anyone else has reported that it contains spyware.
• Read all privacy statements, license agreements, and security warnings associated with any software you download.
• Click the red x in the corner of the window or press Alt + F4 on your keyboard to close a window rather than clicking on Agree or OK to close a window.
• Be wary of popular free movie and music file sharing programs, and be sure you understand all of the software packaged with those programs.
• Use a standard user account instead of an administrator account.
• Although spyware programs differ from viruses, many can behave much like viruses and pose similar and other risks. To help protect against spyware, use a comprehensive malware protection program.

PC Security

There are numerous PC security systems on the market today. The purpose of this article is to give you a thumbnail sketch of four of the more popular ones on the market along with the more obvious pros and cons.

Avast!

Synopsis:  Avast!’s antivirus software now provides full security including antispam and firewall protection. It’s still provides only the essentials, however, it is a good choice if that’s what you’re looking for.

Pros: Avast! Installs fast and has a small download size. The firewall identifies and blocks exploits makes its own program control decisions, and stealths all ports. It has accurate antispam which needs no configuration. The PC security software includes multiple shields which prevent malware attacks.

Cons: This PC security software is less effective than some of the top suites at blocking and removing blocking malware. It also presents a minor drag on system performance.

PC Tools Internet Security 2010

Synopsis: Spyware Doctor with AntiVirus 2010 is at the heart of PC Tools Security suite and is an impressive standalone application. Overall, the PC security software is worth a look even though not every component measures up to Spyware Doctor.

Pros: This software provides great malware cleanup. It has an accurate spam filter, blocks leak tests and exploits, detects malicious web code and identifies bad sites, and has excellent protection against new malware infestation.

Cons: The phishing protection this software provides is less than effective when compared to IE. Also, it has a slow boot process, the spam filter significantly slows email downloading, and the firewall’s program control will default to a weak setting.

AVG Internet Security 9.0

Synopsis: This latest PC security suite from AVG provides a distinct improvement over its predecessor. The firewall problems with this software are now fixed and it integrates multiple new antimalware technologies. Although it is not a challenger for Norton Internet Security 2010 and other top products it is now a good choice.

Pros: This software has very good malware detection and multilayer malware blocking. It also provides free identity theft recovery help and protects against malicious websites and scripts. It actively blocks exploits, has fewer firewall queries, and an accurate spam filter.

Cons: The software doesn’t remove detected malware thoroughly. It has no parental control. Its anti phishing is not effective, and it does slow some system activities.

CA Internet Security Suite Plus 2010

Pros: Experts were hired to completely overhaul this PC security suite’s user interface. The result is an interface that is user friendly, stunning, and unique. The components of this software are now fully integrated in new user centric interface. The firewall resists direct attack by malware and it stealths all ports. It is very good at blocking root kit installations; it rates websites and links, and has good parental control.

Cons: The suite’s default settings can cause serious trouble for users. It has slow system performance and its default settings allow Internet access for unknown programs which can silently block good programs. Its spam filter is nonfunctional until trained and it only has rudimentary backup. The site rating marks valid sites as risky.